<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>talk me down by QQI25</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29865504">talk me down</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/QQI25/pseuds/QQI25'>QQI25</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Check Please! (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Emotional/Psychological Abuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:15:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,559</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29865504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/QQI25/pseuds/QQI25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dex is freaked out after his professor yells at some of his classmates, and Nursey comforts him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Derek "Nursey" Nurse &amp; William "Dex" Poindexter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>talk me down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>“Fuck you my child is fine” your child gets anxiety attacks when they hear someone yelling</p><p>Title is from TALK ME DOWN by troye sivan</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dex hadn’t necessarily started the day out thinking it was gonna be a <i>good</i> day, but he hadn’t started out thinking it was gonna be a <i>bad</i> day either. And it’s not . . . totally bad. His first class of the day is fine, just the same amount of work as usual, and plus, C’s in it so it’s fun, even. It’s his second (and thankfully last) class of the day that goes to shit. </p><p>His second class is some bullshit Gen Ed he doesn’t really care about. The thing about that class that’s bearable is Ros, his partner for literally every assignment and project in this class. But today, Ros is swamped with other work—and doesn’t even have an obligation to make sure Dex finishes his individual work—and leaves early. It’s not hard; it’s just boring and tedious. That’s still not where the trouble lies, though. </p><p>At the front of the classroom (he and Ros always sit closer to the middle or back), the professor starts going off. A pair of students had been caught cheating on the quiz last week. First off, who cheats on those easy-ass quizzes, and second off, why cheat if you can’t do it well enough to not get caught? He ignores it and goes back to his own work. But the prof’s voice seems to get louder and louder, and he has to fight himself sinking into his seat. It’s <i>fine</i> the yelling isn’t even directed at him why is he freaking out? Somehow the silence when his prof loses steam is worse. He returns to the classwork with a renewed intensity. It’s not his best work, but seven minutes later he’s turned in the assignment to the front of the classroom and hopes he’s leaving the room at a steady pace. </p><p>Head ducked down, he rushes back to the Haus. No one’s in the living room or kitchen, thank god. He doesn’t think he could deal with that right now. He toes off his shoes and goes to his and Nursey’s room where Nursey’s lounging on his own bed. Dex dumps his backpack down unceremoniously next to the desk and hangs up his coat in their closet. </p><p>“‘Sup?” Nursey says. He shrugs in response and Nursey raises an unimpressed eyebrow, patting the edge of his bed and sitting up. Dex sighs and sits, scooting in ‘til his back’s against the wall. He brings his knees up and wraps his arms around them. It’s stupid, is the thing. No one gets worked up about someone yelling at a stranger. </p><p>“Bad class?” Nursey prompts gently. Dex snorts.</p><p>“Yeah, something like that. My partner, Ros, finished early and left. I mean, that was fine, because it’s not like—I don’t need someone to coddle me and hold my hand through the work. That was fine; Ros didn’t need to stay and it wasn’t even partner work anyways. But the prof um, blew up at these two kids who cheated—badly, because they got caught. I don’t even know why I reacted so weirdly. It’s weird, right? That’s not normal to like, freak out because someone yells at someone else.” Dex laughs, because if he doesn’t, he doesn’t know what he’s gonna do. </p><p>“Dex,” Nursey says gently, even more gentle than before, placing a hand on his knee. “Does someone at home get mad and yell?”</p><p>“Yeah,” he whispers, looking down at his knees. Something compels him to put his hand on top of Nursey’s. For a moment he thinks he messed up because Nursey moves his hand, but it’s only to turn it over so that they’re properly holding hands. Dex squeezes his, and Nursey squeezes back.</p><p>“You’re right that it’s not normal, but that’s because people shouldn’t be yelling at you to that degree. Of course you’d freak out hearing someone yell, even if it’s at someone else. Especially in an enclosed room.”</p><p>“Everyone gets yelled at sometimes. I’m the only one who reacts like that, on the verge of a fucking anxiety attack.” He doesn’t even know why he’s fighting Nursey, especially when Nursey’s right and Dex has his hand in a vice grip. He just doesn’t know what else to do.</p><p>“Key word being <i>sometimes</i>. How often do you and your family get yelled at?”</p><p>“My family is normal. Sometimes dads just get angry. Sometimes he thumps the table or something, but he never hits any of us. He just yells, sometimes. It’s just when he’s stressed out because of work. It’s normal for dads to be like that. And he loves us. I know he does.” He's not sure if Nursey's the only one he's trying to convince.</p><p>“Dex, that’s not normal.” Nursey’s voice sounds weird, and Dex chances a glance up at him. Nursey looks so concerned and he can’t deal with that, looking down at their hands. He lets up, tries not to hold on so tight. </p><p>“He says sorry, too, sometimes. And he says he loves us out loud.”</p><p>“I’m sorry your dad is shitty, but that’s not how dads should be.”</p><p>“Oh, because you know everything,” Dex says sarcastically, and he still can’t look at Nursey.</p><p>“I don’t, and I’m not saying I do. I’m just saying that my parents are divorced, but my dad’s not like that. And we know that C’s dad isn’t like that either.” He wishes Nursey would get angry. He knows how to argue with Nursey; he doesn’t know how to talk to him like this right now, when he’s calm and kind and patient.</p><p>“I’m not—” Dex says, but he doesn’t even know what he wants to say, and he realises that he’s started crying. </p><p>Nursey lets go of his hand and folds him into a hug, and he’s sure it must be awkward because he’s got his knees up between them, but Nursey doesn’t let go and he runs a hand up and down Dex’s back and his other hand goes to softly stroke through Dex’s hair, so Dex puts his own arms around Nursey. </p><p>“It’s so stupid,” Dex bites out, voice muffled by Nursey’s shirt.</p><p>“It’s not, Dex, it’s not.” Dex breathes in and he smells Nursey, smells <i>safe</i>. He’s so exhausted. </p><p>“You’re okay, you’re safe, Dex,” Nursey murmurs over and over. Dex just cries and Nursey just holds him and lets him until he’s all cried out. </p><p> </p><p>Dex lets go of Nursey and Nursey sits back. There’s a flush on his cheek, and his eyes are probably all blotchy and red. Nursey hands him a tissue and he turns away to blow his nose before tossing it in the trash can by the door. </p><p>“Ugh. Sorry,” Dex says. His voice sounds exactly like someone who’s just been crying for a while and he swipes halfheartedly at his eyes. </p><p>“Hey, no worries. ‘S what friends are for. I love you dude.” He holds out a fist and Dex bumps it with his own, smiling.</p><p>“Thanks. Love you too.” </p><p>“C’mon. We’ll go see if Bitty’s done baking strawberry pie.” </p><p>“Oh my god, he’s <i>been</i> here? You told him? That’s so embarrassing,” Dex says, wrinkling his nose. </p><p>“Chill. You know how he gets with his music. He def didn’t hear anything. All I said was that you had a bad day. C’mon.” Nursey slides off the bed and holds out a hand. Dex softens and takes it, getting up. He smoothes out his pants.</p><p>“If you don’t want to look like you’ve been crying, you can splash some cold water on your face,” Nursey offers up. Dex goes to the bathroom and splashes his face. Nursey just watches from the door jamb. After inspecting himself in the mirror, Dex honestly can’t tell if there was a change, and he looks at Nursey. Nursey peers at him and gives him a thumbs up. Dex trusts Nursey not to lie to him.</p><p>They go down and to the kitchen where Bitty’s singing along to his baking playlist and doing the dishes. Nursey leans against the island counter and Dex does the same. </p><p>“Coulda let one of us do that, Bitty,” Nursey says once Bitty’s done and drying off his hands. </p><p>“Aw, hey y’all. Gotta clean up after myself,” Bitty says. He hugs Nursey first. When they break apart, Bitty holds out his arms to Dex, and Dex goes with an eagerness he doesn’t usually have.</p><p>“Hey sweetheart. Tough day, huh?” Bitty says. Dex just nods. Everyone on the team gives such good hugs, when Dex accepts them. Bitty breaks apart with one last pat on his back. “Well the pies are almost done. Ransom and Holster just got back and are planning a movie night tonight, if y’all wanna go help them decide a movie.” </p><p>“Thanks Bitty!” Nursey goes to the living room and Dex trails behind him. He waits for Nursey to sit first, and then deposits himself next to him. If it had been the other way, Nursey woulda wanted to give him space, and Dex is too much of a coward to ask for something else, so it’s better this way. Nursey puts an arm around him and he leans into the touch. He doesn’t contribute to the conversation, just closes his eyes and lets it wash over him. They’re quiet and calm and safe, there’s strawberry pie cooling, and Dex knows that here, he is happy and loved.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>- first check, please! fic check!! i got back into it because my sister got the first book, and now we've fallen down the nurseydex rabbithole. the amount of love they hv for each othr,,,, unparalleled i cannot handle it.\</p><p>- this is based off a dream i had lol not nurseydex but just that i was freaking out in class bc the teacher was just yelling at these two students</p><p>- lol sry if the way nursey brought tht up is weird?? i just do not know how else to breach tht subject</p><p>- i defo think dex tries to convince himself of what he tells nursey. he has a shitton of deprogramming and unlearning to do lol</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>